Published December 8, 2024

Working Like a Dog

The serious skills of service dogs.

A purple text box that reads, “In October 2017, I became the foster parent to a two-year-old service dog in training. My job was to care for him while he was off duty and reinforce his service training and socialization.”

A floating circular framed photo of a Black Labrador Retriever’s smiling face, with the name plaque “Timmy” underneath. A purple heart medallion hangs from the bottom of the frame.

"He was still learning, but Timmy was highly skilled."

A room with yellow carpet and purplish-gray walls. A caption at the top reads: “He was still learning, but Timmy was highly skilled.” Underneath the caption, Timmy, the Black Labrador from the first panel, wears a purple service dog vest and is depicted three times across the panel: on the left pulling open a door ajar using a rope tied to the door handle, with a leash on the ground nearby.

Then in the middle of the room walking to the right with the leash in his mouth towards the author, an adult Asian female with braided black hair, a yellow shirt, and gray pants; and finally on the left side of the room, standing on his hind legs and using his nose to press elevator buttons on a wall. At the bottom of these images, the caption reads, “He could open doors, fetch on command, and push ADA and elevator buttons.”

a borderless square with the text: “He knew to tuck himself into small spaces underfoot at restaurants and theaters…” Next to the text, an image shows Timmy in his purple vest, lying discreetly underneath a small cafe table while two individuals sip from mugs. Underneath the text is an image of Timmy with his paws and chin on the lap of a wheelchair-using individual, and the text “...and to provide comfort to someone in distress.”

A square with a border with the text: “When I would get ready for work each weekday morning, so would Timmy.” Underneath the text is the author in a different outfit, kneeling in her apartment by the front door and putting a purple service dog vest on Timmy.

An outline of the continental US and Alaska with purple pins in Anchorage, AK; Menlo Park, CA; San Diego, CA; Ruther Glen, VA, and San Antonio, TX. An inset coming out of the Menlo Park, CA, location shows the exterior of a building in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Above the map, text reads: “Timmy works for Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH), a nonprofit that matches service dogs to veterans with disabilities. Based out of the Menlo Park Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California and several other locations around the country, PPH dogs train from the time they are 4 weeks old until placement with a service member around 2 to 3 years old.”

“Training these dogs is a gratifying form of mutualism: veteran volunteers who are being treated for trauma-related symptoms assist PPH handlers, thus experiencing the therapeutic benefits of working with dogs while preparing the animals to someday help fellow service members in need.” Below the text is an image of two veterans wearing baseball caps and treat pouches around their waists, each holding out their hand to a Labrador Retriever wearing a purple service dog vest. The dogs are lying down and attentive, and one has their leash in their mouth. A trainer wearing her own treat pouch and a purple hoodie looks on in the background.

A German Shepherd in a red service dog vest and a goofy looking Pug look up towards the reader with friendly expressions. The dogs’ faces and front half of their torsos are visible in Panel 3. The text above reads: “Prior to fostering Timmy, I’d always assumed that service dogs were innately different from pet dogs. After all, PPH dogs are bred specifically to assist people. Service is in Timmy’s blood.” Arrows coming from the German Shepherd service dog point to the labels “obedient,” “serious,” and “more in tune with humans,” while arrows coming from the Pug point to the labels “derpier” and “short attention span.”

The back half of both dogs, which include their rumps and wagging tails, surrounded by little hearts. The text reads “Instead, I found that, despite their focus and skill, Timmy and his canine colleagues aren’t lacking the exuberance and affection that earned their species the title of man’s best friend.”

A prehistoric cave scene. A man hunches over a fire with part of an animal carcass at his feet, illuminated by a fire that he’s built. Several prehistoric cave drawings can be seen in the background. The man holds out a large piece of meat on a bone to a dog with wolf-life features. Text on the left part of the panel reads: “Maybe the assumption itself was too narrow. After all, the origin of all dogs, pet or working, is found in their utility to humans.”

Four groupings of silhouettes can be seen on the cave wall depicting an evolution of dog and man: the first pair is a human holding a spear and accompanied by a large wolf-like dog, the second pair is a human holding a bow and arrow and accompanied by a slightly smaller dog with pointy ears, the third pair is a human wearing a wide-brimmed hat and holding a rake and accompanied by a herding dog, and the last pair is a human in a baseball cap walking alongside a guide dog. The text below the silhouette reads: “Humans began domesticating dogs’ ancestors well before we herded livestock and planted crops. Our bond with dogs is unique, rooted in a symbiotic relationship fine-tuned over millennia of co-living and selective breeding.”

A caption enclosed by a text box that reads, “Scientists have even identified a genetic trait in dogs that may explain their ingrained need to please us.” Below this text, three dogs with eager expressions and begging poses look expectantly towards a brunette woman in a blue blazer and dark shirt holding up a dog treat.

A speech bubble reads: ““It was once thought that during domestication dogs had evolved an advanced form of social cognition that wolves lacked. Evidence suggests that dogs instead have a genetic condition that can lead to an exaggerated motivation to seek social contact compared to wolves.” — Dr. Monique Udell, animal scientist at Oregon State University (ScienceDaily, 2017).”

“Dogs are also finely attuned to our emotions. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, they are able to quickly and silently interpret human “chemosignals,” or body odors that can signal emotion or illness.” Below that is an image of a pointy-eared dog looking doe-eyed and longingly, with little cartoon hearts above their head, at a person who is shedding a tear and holding the dog’s neck gently. A view of the figures’ brains and olfactory bulbs is superimposed onto their heads. The dog has a significantly smaller brain than the human, but an olfactory bulb that is about three times the size of the human’s. A label pointing to the dog’s bulb reads, “Olfactory bulb: 300 million receptors” while the label pointing to the human’s bulb reads, “6 million receptors.” A pair of circular arrows is shown above the dog’s nose with the label, “Canines can smell on both the inhale and exhale.”

“Throughout history, dogs have served two roles: companion and worker. Their loyalty, eagerness, and sociability make them a source of comfort. Our ability to shape their bodies and desires have made them into our best employees.” Below is an image of a prize-winning Westminster Dog Show Bloodhound and his handler posing next to a large trophy and ribbon, while a throng of admirers and photographers gather behind them.

“The legacy of working dogs is still found in the breeding groups defined by contemporary kennel clubs:” Below this, several vignettes are depicted with captions. The first is an image of a Bernese Mountain Dog pulling a red cart with three metal canisters inside, and the caption: “The Working Group, bred to perform practical tasks like pulling carts or guarding property.”

An Australian Shepherd herding sheep in a field, with the caption: “The Herding Group, bred to corral other animals.”

A Basset Hound sniffing in the grass, while in the background a Retriever emerges from a small body of water with a bird in its mouth.” The caption reads: “The Hound Group, bred for hunting, and their counterparts the Sporting Group, who retrieve the kill.”

A beach scene where, on the left, a Jack Russell Terrier is digging in the sand. ”The compact Terrier Group, valued for their vermin extermination skills."

Bulldog and Chinese Crested Dog sit on a blue cushioned dog bed, with small beach umbrellas visible in the background. An arm is reaching out from off-page right to pet the Chinese Crested Dog. The caption to this final vignette reads ”The Toy Group and Non-Sporting Group, bred for companionship.”

“Companionship aside, most working dogs you encounter today wouldn’t fall into these roles. Though some canines still perform the jobs traditionally intended for their breed, dog careers are continually evolving.” Below this text is an image of three anthropomorphized Bloodhounds with different career outfits on: one wears an old-timey hunter’s garb, one wears an early 1900s European police uniform, and one wears a modern-looking lab coat and safety goggles and holds a bubbling beaker.

“Most modern dog jobs fall into one of two categories: law enforcement and assistance (or service) programs.” Below this is an image of two types of vests: a red vest with the word “Service” and a picture of a crossed-out hand that implies no petting allowed, and a beige vest with lots of straps and a “Police K-9” patch.

“The first known police dog program was introduced in 1899 in Gent, Belgium, spurred by lack of funding for personnel.” Below this is a depiction of a yellowed black-and-white photo of the Gent K-9 unit and trainers which features several posed figures: 10 standing men in old Belgian police uniforms, one woman sitting in the middle amongst them, and 8 service dogs.

A bust portrait of a mustached man wearing an old-fashioned uniform with medals pinned on his coat, with a speech bubble that says, ““If you can't give me more policemen, then give me some dogs!” — Ernest H. P. Van Wesemael, Gent’s then-Police Chief.”

A dog in a rescue uniform, protective booties, and goggles searching amidst rubble. In the background, a person wearing a protective bite suit crouches as a Malinois-like dog bites the suit. A caption to the left of the image reads: “Law enforcement and military K-9s are trained to perform duties as varied as search and rescue, suspect apprehension, and narcotics or bomb detection.”

A sitting German Shepherd and reclined Belgian Malinois, with the text: “German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois are usually favored for their agility, stature, and high work drive, but are by no means the only breeds who excel on the job.” Below that, in smaller text: “Take Ukrainian Jack Russell Terrier, Patron, a landmine finder who has detected hundreds of explosives.” Patron, sporting a black protective vest, is depicted in the foreground standing atop gray shapes resembling missile explosives.

A Yellow Labrador wearing a red vest is putting his paw atop the arm of a young female sitting on the ground in front of the dog. The caption above them reads: “Service dogs like Timmy are trained to provide essential aid. Others are trained in different specialties, ranging from physical therapy, to mobility assistance, to guiding those with visual and hearing impairments.”

Several more pairings of humans and service dogs, including a little boy in a wheelchair who has a Poodle assisting him with pulling off a sock; a young girl in winter gear balancing by holding the back of a Great Dane; and a masculine person wearing dark glasses walking with a seeing eye dog in a green vest. Below them in a text box is the caption: “There are approximately 500,000 service dogs in the U.S. Each service organization’s goals vary, but at the core is the desire to help people maintain or restore their sense of hope and independence.”

“Canine service is an old practice. It’s shown in a mural from the first century CE in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum, and there are similar records from China predating the Middle Ages.” There is a depiction of a real Roman mural that appears to show a blind man and his guide dog, alongside a depiction of a real Chinese scroll from circa 1200 that appears to show a man with a cane and a guide dog. A small label on the scroll reads, “From a Chinese Scroll / “Spring on the Yellow River” / 13th Century (or earlier).”

“The first dog guide schools, built to aid the visually impaired, opened in Germany in 1916 as a response to the high number of soldiers blinded by mustard gas during World War I.” The text continues at the bottom of the panel: “American dog trainer Dorothy Harrison Eustis visited the school in the 1920s, and wrote an article about it for The Saturday Evening Post.” In between the text is a sepia-toned image of Eustis sitting on a park bench with two German Shepherd dogs in training seated by her feet, and pine trees in the background. Eustis is wearing a small blue hat, floral blouse, blue jacket, mid-length blue skirt, stockings, and black flats.

“After the story ran, Eustis began getting letters from visually impaired people asking how to find guide dogs in the U.S. There were, of course, none. So Eustis set out to create them.” The text continues at the bottom of the panel: “She worked with a 19-year-old man named Morris Frank, who’d written asking for a guide dog, to figure out new methods to train a canine companion to help him.” In between the text is a sepia-toned image showing Eustis, this time in a large trench coat and floral hat, looking on right outside a building as a slender young Frank and his service dog step off a curb. Part of a 1920s car can be seen in the foreground.

A large text box with the following text: “Assistance animals were not legally recognized in the U.S. until the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. But the concept of using “service dogs” to help people outside of vision-related needs originated in the 1970s, when Dr. Bonnie Bergin coined the term.”

A framed rectangular photograph depicting a real photo of George HW Bush signing the ADA into law. He is accompanied by two men in wheelchairs and two standing people: an older man in a priest outfit and a short-haired woman in a suit. They are sitting outside with a vast lawn and a pond with fountains behind them.

“She was inspired by seeing the way people with disabilities utilized the help of donkeys and burros during her travels in Asia and Eastern Europe.” The image shows a portrait of Dr. Bergin with a faint mountain range in the background. Dr. Bergin looks to be in her 60s, has mid-length blonde hair and thin-framed glasses, and is wearing a red shirt and gray-purple suit jacket. A speech bubble reads, “”We know people who are coming back with PTSD are isolated…they have emotional numbness. We know that dogs don’t allow anyone to stay emotionally numb, they come and they interact and they cause you to have to respond…. We see these dogs reaching out to people in ways that no other human could do.” — Dr. Bonnie Bergin (GoRuck, 2018)”

“As the service dog sector has evolved and matured, so have the practices and methods. Many service dog organizations breed their canines for the job, favoring traits like confidence, calmness, sociability, and healthy medical history. Organizations like the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative cross-breed dogs from different programs in order to ensure genetic diversity and prevent inbreeding.”

A graph that shows on the Y axis “% service dog organizations” going up to 80%, and on the X axis “preferred breeds (Project ROVER, 2015).” Labels and images of the following five dog breeds are shown from left to right: A Labrador Retriever over a bar going up to about 75%; a Golden Retriever over a bar going up to about 68%; a German Shepherd over a bar going up to about 35%; a Standard Poodle over a bar going up to about 30%; and a white and tan dog labeled “Other” over a bar going up to about 50%.

“Because socialization is such an important part of a service animal’s work, puppies are exposed to different stimuli and environments from a very young age.” Panel 1 contains an image of a laptop with a video call open. The person on-screen is a young woman with olive skin and dark hair, wearing a purple Paws for Purple Hearts shirt only partially visible in frame. She says via speech bubble: ““The PPH puppies are introduced to loud noises, sounds, smells, big hats. We like to introduce them to at least 300 people before they are 8 weeks old.” — Megan Franke, PPH Program Instructor.”

“Some organizations place dogs with foster families full time for further socializing before they begin specialized training at around 1 year old. Others, like PPH, train the dogs on site to learn nearly 100 commands and have them live with volunteer foster families on nights and weekends.” The next bit of text is highlighted in yellow and reads, “This is how Timmy came to stay with me.” Below the text is an image of two hands passing off a purple leash in three separate instances.

The author sitting in a darkened movie theater and eating popcorn, with a vested Timmy tucked away under her chair and looking intently toward the screen. A caption reads, “Fostering a service dog has many pros. Timmy was as much a goofy ball of love as a hard worker, and we bonded quickly. And unlike a pet, he could accompany us just about anywhere as part of his training.”

“Of course, there were some compromises. Per training guidelines, Timmy was not allowed in a regular dog park even though we lived directly across from one.” Timmy is seen in his vest, sitting in the grass and looking towards a small enclosed dog park that has two other dogs in it. A caption in the grass reads “Fortunately, all PPH dogs get plenty of time to run and play with one another.”

“Perhaps the toughest part was building such a strong partnership knowing it was only temporary.”

Timmy, no vest, lying on his stomach looking at the author, facing Timmy and also lying on her stomach. She is wearing a yellow tank top and blue plaid pajama pants, and is holding up a tennis ball.

“As stellar as Timmy was by any pet standards, he had some quirks to work on that could be triggering for a veteran relying on his assistance. For instance, certain sounds or unfamiliar behaviors would set off a single, startling alert bark — such as an unfamiliar physical movement at the gym or the sound of the Wheel of Fortune bell.” An image of a howling Timmy is depicted below with the text “RRRRUFF!” A TV set can be seen behind the dog with the Wheel of Fortune board on it. At the bottom of the panel is a small caption that reads, “*we’re a Jeopardy household!”

“I did my best to set Timmy up for success during our time together. It takes a lot of shared effort and about $35K of resources to train an average service dog over the course of two years, and the bar is high; fewer than half of trained dogs make the cut. The ones that don’t undergo “career changes” or are rehomed as pets.” Below the text is a partial view of a Report Card with a checklist of criteria such as Recall, Barking, Prey Drive, and Health. All the items have a check in their box except for Prey Drive, which has a red X. The report card is stamped with the words “FAIL” in red.

“It’s not just service, law enforcement, and military for the modern working dog. Canines are employed as truffle hunters, conservation biologists, art integrity protectors, and airport runway controllers…just to name a few.” Below this are busts of anthropomorphized dogs. The first is dressed as a truffle hunter, wearing a cap with a mushroom on it and carrying a crossbody bag filled with truffles. The second has on a dark suit, sunglasses, and an earpiece. The third is wearing scrubs, a stethoscope, and a face mask. The fourth has on an orange reflective vest, goggles, and over-the-ear ear protection.

A large inset of a diagonal image showing a dog and two researchers on a research boat. The dog is excitedly leaning over the side of the boat toward the ocean, and is wearing goggles and a yellow life jacket. Scent lines are visible by the dog’s nose, and a cloud bubble above the dog depicts two orcas generating a stream resembling the dog’s scent lines. Next to this image is the following small caption: “Eba, a mutt who helps conservationists detect whale poop.”

“Dogs are doing their part to fight COVID-19, too. Since the start of the pandemic, both purebred and rescue canines have been trained to detect the coronavirus with up to 94% accuracy, learning in just 8 to 10 weeks.” Then, “They’ve already been put to work at some schools, airports, and even Disney World.” A dark, pointy-eared dog is shown in a security line sniffing a face mask that someone is dangling near its nose.

The following quote in a speech bubble: “”The big ‘aha’ for me was not only could the dogs be trained for this work, but that they were so accurate. Everybody, including humans, are wrong at some point. But [dogs are] almost never wrong.” — Dr. Kenneth G. Furton, who is leading a team of forensic researchers studying canine scent at Florida International University / (Washington Post, 2021)”

The top caption reads: “We humans don’t take the service of our dogs for granted. We have awarded them with medals and placed them atop monuments and memorials.” The author is shown with Timmy visiting the statue of Balto the dog in Central Park, New York City, framed by a dusky, peachy sky. Below the image are the words, “But the funny thing about that is that it’s all for us humans. The dogs don’t care. Service dog, army dog, truffle dog, companion. At the end of the day, they are still happiest at our feet.”

“After many assessments, Timmy made it to PPH graduation, to a standing ovation.” Timmy’s graduation ceremony is taking place, with the author kneeling in front of a brick wall decorated with a purple banner and purple-y lanterns in the background. She is putting on a red “Facility Dog” vest on Timmy, who is also wearing a small red and black top hat. Five people are looking on and clapping. The bottom caption reads as follows: “PPH determined that he would be better off pivoting careers: instead of becoming a service dog for a single veteran, he is currently amplifying his impact as a facility dog at the VA clinic where he trained. Facility dogs work with all patients, helping boost morale and provide comfort during therapy sessions.”

“I’ve since moved and am no longer able to visit Timmy, but I still keep up with his work through PPH’s social media and the occasional video call cameo.”

a video call window featuring two people with a faded bookshelf behind them. One of the people is a smiling blonde woman and the other is Megan from earlier. Both are wearing the purple Paws in Purple Hearts shirt. The captions underneath the screen read: “Olivia Hughes / PPH Advancement Associate,” and “Megan Franke / PPH Program Instructor.” Olivia has a speech bubble that says, “We like to say that the dogs choose their careers. You can tell by their personality which paths they’re best suited for.”

Megan’s speech bubble says, “Timmy is very empathetic and he really knows how other people are feeling, so he makes an exceptional facility dog because he gives everybody love.” One final caption on the bottom of the panel reads, “I couldn’t be any prouder of this good boy.”

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